Senior Course Scheduling Dilemma

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hi folks, I'm a rising senior and am having some schedule issues (kind of). </p>

<p>Currently, my schedule includes:
IB Music (Theory) HL/Advanced Music Theory
IB History of the Americas HL/Twentieth Century History
IB Spanish 5 (SL)
AP Statistics
Theory of Knowledge 2
AP English Literature/IB English HL
AP Calculus BC/IB Math SL
Advanced Orchestra
PE</p>

<p>My school operates on a block schedule. There are 4 classes each day, and 4 days in one cycle (A, B, C, D; A is mostly the same as C, and B is mostly the same as D). Many IB classes are co-seated with advanced or AP classes (as shown above). With my being an IB Diploma candidate, scheduling courses can be something of a pain. Most seniors at my school take a form of physics; we used to offer AP Physics B, but now we offer AP Physics 1 and AP Physics C. </p>

<p>My problem is that I'm being encouraged by my guidance counselor to take AP Physics C, but I have no background in physics. I'm currently enrolled in AP Statistics (I'm likely going to be a sociology major in college, so in my opinion this should would be more beneficial). I took AP Chemistry as a sophomore, and this was pretty difficult because at that point I had no background in chemistry. I ended up getting a 96, but I still don't understand some basic (or "advanced," for that matter) principles of chemistry. I don't really want this to happen with physics. I could take AP Physics 1, but the instructor for that class is supposedly terrible and I've heard that the new AP Physics courses (1 and 2) make more sense as a sequence. And, if I take either of the AP Physics courses, I'd have to miss a day of orchestra, which is one of my favorite classes; I'd have physics 3/4 days and orchestra 1/4 days, rather than 2/4 and 2/4 for statistics and orchestra, respectively. </p>

<p>I'd really rather take AP Statistics, but I'm wondering if, as a prospective social science major, colleges will frown upon my not taking a physics course. For context, I've taken Regents Earth Science (8), Regents Biology (9), AP Chemistry (10), and IB Biology (11). </p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

2

<p>If your school offers physics, yes they will frown on you not taking it. Many colleges recommend if not require one year each of chem, bio, and physics. Since you will be taking AP Calculus BC, you should be taking AP Physics C since its calculus based, but if you feel more comfortable, take AP Physics 1. AP physics 1 is designed to be an intro level physics course (you do not need prior physics knowledge) and its also a stand-alone course (you don’t have to follow it with AP Physics 2). The other option you have, since I realize missing orchestra is not ideal and you want to take AP stat, is to take it online or through a local community college, but that may cost money. </p>

3

<p>I am admittedly somewhat masochistic when it comes to school, so perhaps AP Physics C wouldn’t be a terrible idea. I have a meeting with my counselor coming up so maybe I’ll bring it up again.</p>

4

<p>Bump bump</p>